Trent Bridge

Warwickshire InFirm Control

Featured News | 19th May 2011

For the second consecutive match Nottinghamshire were forced to follow-on after being dismissed for just 117 in the first innings of their LV= County Championship match against Warwickshire.

Notts closed the second day on 60-4, still 199 runs away from making the visitors bat again.

Earlier in the day Ian Bell had gone on to score 139 before being the last man to be dismissed as the Warwickshire’s innings ended on 376.

“We need to look at the top order after the game and see how we can improve.” Mick Newell

It was the home side’s poor performance with the bat that disappointed Director of Cricket Mick Newell who conceded that Notts now had only a slender hope of getting back into the contest.

“Even by our standards, this would be a good turn-around,” he said.

“We’ve been outplayed again and this is two weeks in a row where it’s happened.

“We need to look at the top order after the game and see how we can improve.”

The morning session began in bright sunlight with the visitors resuming from their overnight 233-3 with Bell on 68 and Yousaf on 27 but they soon lost the Pakistan international.

Bell had faced the first ten deliveries of the session and then steered Stuart Broad towards midwicket. Andre Adams, racing in from mid-on, swooped on the ball and shied at the stumps at the non-strikers end. Yousaf had backed up a long way and was unable to turn and get back before Adams’ wonderful direct hit.

Darren Maddy batted positively for 22 before falling to Graeme Swann. Yet again the England off-spinner struck during his first over the day, this time helped out by a sharp low catch at slip from Adam Voges.

Bell ploughed on – punishing anything that he could drive with great repetition – and working singles to more respectful deliveries.

His century came with an exquisite cover drive for four off Steven Mullaney (247 min, 189 balls, 14 x 4).

Rikki Clarke led a charmed life, mixing powerful boundary hitting with three apparent moments of god fortune. Twice against Broad and once from the bowling of Shreck, he survived very confident lbw shouts – with the entire Notts side on each occasion appearing to be convinced.

Bell pulled Shreck into the Fox Road stand for the first maximum of the match but then lost his partner just before lunch as Graeme Swann held on to a sharp chance at slip.

Lunch was taken at 339-6 but Notts began to make further inroads upon the restart. Andre Adams got Tim Ambrose out lbw and then – next ball – had Naqqash Tahir taken by Mullaney at third slip.

Bell continued to play aggressively and found support from Chris Metters, who made 10 before fencing a Broad delivery away from his face and Mark Wagh swooped to catch at short leg.

With 139 to his name Bell’s superb knock ended when he bludgeoned Broad to mid-on, where Paul Franks claimed his 50th first class catch to end the innings on 376.

The last five Warwickshire wickets had fallen for just 37 runs and a similar collapse befell the Nottinghamshire reply.

In dry, bright conditions openers Akhil Patel and Mark Wagh negotiated the first nine overs but then six wickets fell in 17 overs before tea.

Patel was caught behind for 12 off Tahir, then the same bowler dismissed Wagh (13) thanks to a wonderful diving catch at midwicket by Chris Metters.

Steven Mullaney, batting at three for the first time for Notts, made 10 but the bowling attack, obviously aware of him being hit at Hove last week, peppered him with short-pitched deliveries. Taking up the challenge, Mullaney only succeeded in pulling Rankin to the waiting Clarke on the deep square boundary.

Ali Brown lost his off stump to Darren Maddy for 8 and Adam Voges became the fifth man out in controversial circumstances. It appeared as if he had worked a bump-ball from Rikki Clarke to gully, where Porterfield took the catch. After a discussion between the two umpires, the Australian was given out.

Chris Read, playing his 150th first class innings at Trent Bridge reached 5,000 runs on the ground when a Chinese cut from Clarke’s bowling ran down to the fence in front of the pavilion.

Paul Franks only made 7 before being trapped lbw by Maddy. A brief wag of the tail brought Swann (16) and Broad (24) into double figures but the total of 117 meant that Notts were immediately asked to bat again.

Akhil Patel fell for nought in the first over – dismissed by Tahir for the second time in the afternoon and he was soon followed by Wagh (17), Mullaney (15) and Brown (1) – each falling for the second time in the day.

Paul Franks and Adam Voges were together at the close and will need to mount a substantial stand on the third day if Notts are to avoid a heavy defeat.